The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-14
A FIGHT WITH THE UTES.
Five White Men Killed and
Four Wounded in Colorado.
Chief Colorow's Band Loses Seven
Braves and Two Squaws.

A Denver Dispatch says that the latest
news from the seat Of the Indian war shows
the condition to be more critical, and an
creases the list of dead and wounded in the
BATTLE near Rangely, Col. From 500 to 6Oo
Indians are reported camped on the ground of
the recent battle, and Major Leslie, Sheriff
Kendall's sse and Pritchards scouts, rein
forced by Sheriff Hooper, of Pitkin County,
and Captain Dendy, of Meeker, are fortifying
Rangely. Rifie-pits are being made, houses
strongly fortified, and every precaution taken
for a regular Indian war The State
troops at Rangely are estimated at from
two hundred to two hundred and fifty.
Ranchnen, with their families, are still hurry
ing to both Rangely and Meeker. Four COM
panieS of colored regulars, numbering l65
lnen each, are reported near the State troops.
The last courier brings what appears to be
reliable information of the killing of five
whites, four wounded and seven Indians
and two squaws killed and five wounded in
the recent battle. Here is The total list OF the
whites killed:
Lieut.. Frank Folsom, of Aspen; Jack
Wa-a, Deputy Sheriff, with Kendalrs party;
Wild Bill, OF Curly" long railway
laborer, who was picked up at Glenwood and
boys, who joined the troops, but whose names
are as yet unknown.
DR.. w. G. Dumond, a dentist and member
of Kendall's posse, was shot twice, it is
thought seriously. Foutz, a member of the
Aspen Company, was shot in the face, but
will recover Richard McCaffery, member
of the Leadville Company, was shot in the
face, but will recover.
Wild Bill, the second member of the troops
<N t,a nhnnt
.hirty-five years of age, with long, black
hair. He had been employed on one of the
railroads at Glenwood, and said, when at
tackled about his unique personality, that he
had joined the troops for 81 day. He dis
claimed any desire to fight the Utes, and did
not believe he would have to do so. The boys
had given him the soubriquet of "Wild Bill"
and he ras recognized as such by two ranch
men and q soldier, who found his body in a
clump of willows, his hands clutching an old
magazine rife which he had picked up Some
of the boys had made q great deal of fun
of him ard had called him a coward, as
he refused to do guard dnty, but Bill did
not d serve the title, as his bravery il the
battle demonstrated. During the fight in the
one of his companions that he had downed an
Indian. In the afternoon the Indian ponies
stampeded and got between the troops and the
UteS. Bill was attracted by q pretty
buckskin horse, and, daShing down from
his position on the hill, essSayed to
capture some of the herd. The dash
was so sudden that the soldier approached
within thirty feet of the Utes before he was
stopped. The Indians thought he was trying
to draw them up little ravine a hundred
yards away and fell back, but when they
divine1 his intention, the figure on the roam
horse, his long hair flying in the breeze and
his gun raised above his head to frighten the
horses, was pierced by half of the dozen bull
lets fired at him. The other white men
were killed by Indian pickets while attempt
ing to stampede the horses. There are few
men who can give complete description Of
the battle. Every man who was there has
great respect for the fighting abilities of the
Indians, and that the troops gained victory
Yas due to the good judgment OF Capt.
Pray.
Half an Eour after the battle began man
was seen to dash from the cliffs opposite the
willows He had been member of the flank
ing oarty which Leslie had sent to drive the
UteS and had been surrounded. He beat an
Indian to death and threw away his
gun as he ran, and leaped from rock to
rock with the agility Of mountain goat.
Once in the open space between the rocks and
the willows and where the Indians had ar
ranged All ambush, and which was strewn
with guns and bodies and pistols and dead OF
dying horses, he dashed between the
lines of the opposing sides and sped in
the direction of the river. A score of bullets
whistled after him. but he did not heed them,
and on reaching the bank of the river he
plunged in and swan to the opposite shore,
where he took to the brush and hid. This
was the only case of desertion which occurred
during the battle.
fiicting statements, there were from ~ to l23
Indians on the field. The 6OO gathered there
now came after the battle in response to the
runners who were sent to the reservation.
An Uncompahgre Indian known as Gus :"
had squaw and pappoose when the battle
began, and in the first ruSn they became sep
arated and in half an hour werc more than a
ure with the little Indian babe clasped her in
arms, was screaming and running wildly
about The Indian put spurs to his pony
and dashed down the ravine in the
face Of a storm of bullets. At least three
hundred shots were fired at him, but he was
not hit apparently, and reaching the
squaw he pulled her to the horse and
den, and after placing her on the ground out
of danger rode back TO the top of the bluff
When he reached the summit he was seen to
reel and moment later fell dead.
During the excitement that characterized
the opening of the fight, the squaws, about
twenty Of whom were with the party, dashed
over the field from point to point, amid the
ceaseless firing of 2OO guns. Two of them
were shot,
On the day Of the battle the whites were
without food and tagged out. On Wednes-
day, the day preceding the battle, there was a
violent hailstorm, and in some places the hail
was almost knee deep and the wind blew q
gale. The horses were punished terribly and
the men suffered much. The Indians had
a great advantage in that their horses
were fresh and that they had got out of the
storm and were dry. Capt Pray came into
Meeker Sunday with his command to re-
port. He said that White River Colorow, for
whom the warrant was issued, and Uncom-
pahgre Colorow were both present
at the peace talk, and the Captain
conversed with White River Colorow The
latter is nearly seventy years DID, wrinkled
and fat. He is deaf and his sight is impaired.
In conversation with Captain Pray he denied
his desire to fight, but said that if the white
men did not go back there would be big
fight and that he could get heap White
River braves, heap Uncompahgres and heap
Navajos who were young and wanted to fight.